In Pursuit of Purity

Ephesians 5:3-5
“In Pursuit of Purity”

“I have a dirty mind and there just doesn’t seem to be anything I can do about it.” Those were the words I heard from a young man who was sitting in my study one beautiful summer afternoon several years ago. He was a tough, athletic, good-looking guy whose eyes were filled with tears due to the weight of his sin. He said that his thought life was like a runaway stallion: he was never sure where it would go, or whether there was any limit to its strength. He was just hanging on for dear life trying not to be thrown off at full gallop. The reason he was there is because he was suppose to play in a beach volleyball outing in a few days but he just didn’t want to feed the horse any more.

What a desperate picture that is. But I’m quite confident it describes many others who just haven’t learned how to be so honest or so picturesque in their descriptions. There is nothing quite so unsettling as coming to the realization that the source of my problem is internal rather than external. “I have met the enemy, and I am he.” What are we to do in such situations? How can we survive? How do we overcome?

Well, let me say that I do believe victory is possible for such people as that young man. And I believe the answers are found in God’s Word. And even though I’m not going to try to spin out a complete recovery plan this morning, I believe the passage before us gets us off in precisely the right direction. And I believe it does so by introducing a surprising but exceedingly effective starting point.

We’ve seen several characteristics of the new self in recent weeks that are quite helpful in just this sort of battle, and beyond. But the characteristics we see this morning—mostly negative ones; part of the old self that should be put off balanced by only one positive quality that we should be putting on—fit best under the heading of purity. Here in Eph.5:3-5, then, Paul offers three principles that emerge in our pursuit of purity.

A Behavioral Standard is Underscored – 3-4a

Paul’s train of thought may not be immediately obvious as he moves from v.2 to v.3, but he is using the summary command to imitate God (1) as a backdrop for further instruction on the putting on the new self. More specifically, with the self-sacrificial love of Christ clearly in mind (2), he’s shedding light on our troubling tendency to chase the very opposite—to live our lives in pursuit of self-indulgent sensuality (3). Nothing could be further from Christ-likeness. There is complete contrast between v.2 and v.3. Sexual immorality, all impurity, and covetousness must not even be named among believers. Now this doesn’t just mean that no one should talk about it; it means that it should not be present among believers in any form. The niv captures the flavor by stating, “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed….” Certainly the practice should not be present. But neither should our conversation be laced with references to it—either as primary subject matter or as mere innuendo.

Sexual immorality and all other forms of impurity and covetousness, or greed, are simply not proper involvements or subject matters for consideration among the dearly loved children of God, who seek to imitate him. And do you hear the progression? First it is sexual immorality that’s in the spotlight. Clearly this is the pursuit of sexual gratification outside of the covenant and parameters of marriage, but it can take on many different forms—especially these days. Yes, it is a sexual liaison with another who is not one’s spouse. But it is more than that. The way this prohibition is stated it would certainly also include involvements like pornography, in print or online. It would include attartion or addiction to movies or television programs where sexual immorality is integral to the theme; flirtatious behavior. It would include participation in activities or involvements where opportunity for such self indulgence is unavoidable—especially if sexual temptation is an area of particular struggle. For clarity’s sake, this principle means it is simply unwise—destructive—for some Christians—like the young man in my study—just don’t have the freedom to go to the beach on a hot summer day. What is encountered there simply feeds the enemy.

Paul doesn’t stop with this most familiar temptation toward sexual sin, though; he expands it to include all forms of impurity. Foulkes (141) defined purity as, “The control and direction of sexual powers and impulses in accordance with the law and purpose of God.” Thus, clearly, sexual immorality is impurity but so are any number of other things. Impurity is characteristic of the Gentiles back in 4:19—the very way of life that believers are to abandon. It is the old self they are to put off.

But Paul doesn’t stop there either. He moves on to covetousness—ruthless greed (Foulkes, 141). Introduced by the disjunctive particle or, covetousness, greed, is seen as the fountainhead, or inner source of the outward behavior of sexual immorality or any other form of such impurity. It is ruthless because it not only seeks to gratify self but, in the context here, it craves another’s body in order to satisfy its own appetites. How far could one possibly get from the sacrificial love of Christ that gives up self to meet another’s need? Thus, the presence of any sexual sin or other impurity rooted in self-seeking covetousness is improper, utterly out of place, in the company of believers.

This was particularly relevant instruction in first century Ephesus due to the presence of the Temple of Artemis, a fertility goddess the worship of whom may well have included ritual prostitution (Arnold, 27). Immorality was likely quite prevalent in Ephesus. Paul’s instruction, then, is palpably counter-cultural. But it is no less so today. Having served as a pastor of single adults for a number of years, one of the most common challenges church singles ministries run into around the country is not simply sexual temptation, as might be expected, but sexual involvement—among a significant percentage of their attenders. But such activity is unfortunately no less prevalent among the married adults in churches. Consider the divorce rate among Christians—with extra-marital sexual involvement contributing significantly to the cause. We can easily see that sexual immorality, impurity, is not merely named among us, it is present!

Statistics would tell us it is present among us this morning, but statistics are notoriously impersonal. Jesus said that anyone who even wanders off into lust is already losing the battle (Mat.5:28). 

Let me simply say that if this is an area of temptation for you, or of struggle, or of involvement, we are not here to condemn but to help. We’re here to call you to repentance, to be an imitator of God. But we’re not only here to call you, but to accompany you in the process. If you are wrestling with immorality or impurity in action or in thought, this morning, get help. Talk to a Christian friend. Talk to an Elder, a Deacon, a Sunday School teacher, a friend. Open it up. Expose it. You’d be shocked at how significantly the temptation is eased, even disarmed, merely by mentioning it to someone else. Just as fungus grows in the damp darkness of a neglected basement, even so temptation merges into sinful behavior in the privacy and darkness of our hearts when we fear or refuse to throw them open to the light of God’s grace and the love of his people.

Paul continued along the same lines in v.4, but turned his attention back to the tongue. The thought was already present by saying that sexual immorality, impurity and covetousness must not even be named among them—that alludes to speech, but the vices themselves were center stage. Here in v.4, though, speech is actually predominant. Filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking are as out of place as are the vices that were just mentioned. “Each of the words used for sinful speech, obscenity, foolish talk, and crude joking, appears only here in the New Testament” (O’Brien, 360).

Filthiness may refer to shameful language or to shameful things (Bruce, 370). Here it is likely meant as the former: disgraceful speech or, in context, obscenity. 

Foolish talk is silly talk, meaningless chatter—nattering on with one another about things that are either entirely insignificant or none of our business.

The word translated crude joking was actually used in classical Greek to mean wittiness; of that sense of wit which was regarded as essential to good social interaction (O’Brien, 360). But even back then it could have negative connotations, like buffoonery or some kind of inhumane or degrading jesting. Here it is just coarse, base, off color.

“All three terms refer to a dirty mind expressing itself in vulgar conversation” (O’Brien, 361). This is a good summary statement, but we’ll get back to it in a few minutes. For now, let’s move on to principle #2.

An Alternative Involvement is Charged – 4b

In the esv, the last phrase of v.4 says, “But instead let there be thanksgiving.” The nasv says, “But rather giving of thanks;” niv says, “But rather thanksgiving.”

As in the niv, it is three simple words in the original. But they are three simple words with explosive power: “but rather thanksgiving.” 

By contrast to sexual immorality, impurity, an covetousness being named among them; by contrast to filthiness, foolish talk and crude joking, the believer’s lips should be filled with thanksgiving. It is such impurity as was listed that muffles thankful hearts and mutes thankful mouths. Conversely, pursuing an attitude and expression of thankfulness may well be the most successful strategy for steering hearts and mouths and lives away from such impurity. It is exceedingly difficult to be self-indulgent and thankful all at once. Thanksgiving requires a humility, an awareness of blessing that comes from an outside source. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that captures this thought well: “As you drink from a stream remember the spring” (Tan, 6606). As you receive blessings, remember the source.

Thanksgiving is a virtual synonym for the Christian life if such a thing is possible (O’Brien, 361). Scripture has much to say about thanksgiving. For instance, thanksgiving lies at the heart of worship.

• Psa.28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”

• Psa.69:30 – “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

• Psa.100:4 – “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

• Rev.11:17 – The twenty-four elders said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.”

Thanksgiving also fuels witnessing—1Ch.16:8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!” Thanksgiving is our response to provision and protection and answered prayer—2Co.1:10-11, “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”

Thanksgiving acknowledges and accepts providence in all forms. 

• Jon.2:8-9 – From the belly of the fish Jonah said, “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

• Phi.4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

• 1Th.5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God’s in Christ Jesus for you.”

Thanksgiving is God’s clearly revealed will for us. And as we do it with sincerity we are acknowledging and accepting His providence in our lives.

Thanksgiving overcomes sinful inclinations according the verse we’re discussing right now: Eph.5:4. Thanksgiving should be numbered among the most evident qualities in our lives as we seek to live in a manner worthy of our calling. Col.3:17. “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

There is a Hebrew word which, depending on context, is translated as either praise or confess or give thanks. At first blush these sound like three very different ideas, but they are not. Each of the three uniquely affirms that God is God, and we are not.

Thanksgiving is God’s appointed means for us to praise Him, to tell others of what he has done, of receiving the good things He provided and of accepting the hard things, and, finally also of steering clear of sinful diversions. That is the fruit of thanksgiving. This concluding phrase of v.4, small though it is, is explosive in power. 

Einstein’s equation E=MC2 speaks of the incredible amount of energy present within matter. The energy, E, in one tiny atom is equal to its mass, M, times C, which is the speed of light, squared! The speed of light is an enormous number! How fast does light travel? Well, in a single second it can go all the way around the earth more than seven times, and then do it again in the next second, which means that, while I was saying that last sentence a beam of light could have encircled the globe about fifty times! That’s pretty fast! And that number squared, multiplied by itself, and then multiplied by the mass of any atom, equals the amount of energy stored in that atom. That’s a lot of power!

This little phrase at the end of v.4, presented as the alternative and solution to the monstrous vices listed ahead of it, suggests that thanksgiving has this same sort of power in the life of the believer. Don’t welcome all this impurity into your life; rather, be thankful. Put off the old self and put on the new.

Finally, principle #3…

A Solemn Warning is Issued – 5

In v.5 Paul returns to the very list he presented in v.3—sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness—and here he affirms that no one who lives such a lifestyle will have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Furthermore, he equates covetousness, that ruthless greed, with idolatry just as he also does over in Col.3:5. Such greed has as its primary focus something other than God. It seeks to please something other than God—namely, self. Self sits on the throne at the center of the universe. That is the very epitome of idolatry. And if self is sitting on the throne, you can be absolutely certain of at least one thing: you’re not in the Kingdom of God! God himself sits on the throne there!

This does not mean, though, that every Christian who is imperfect in the consistency of his victory over self-love has cast doubt over the legitimacy of his salvation. 1Jo.1:9 is written to believers. If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse. No, this passage simply acknowledges that such characteristics are not the primary description the new self. Peter O’Brien (363) explained it well when he wrote, “Those who have given themselves over to immorality, impurity, and greed, even if they call themselves Christian, show that they are excluded from eternal life. The apostle is not asserting that the believer who ever falls into these sins is automatically excluded from God’s kingdom. Rather, what is envisaged here is the person who has given himself or herself up without shame or repentance to this way of life. Paul finds it necessary to warn his converts repeatedly about this.”

And he does warn them clearly on several occasions. Most consistent with this passage is the warning of 1Co.6.9-11. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” This is what they were before they were justified—before they were Christians. 

Thus, failing to inherit the kingdom is just another way of saying they were unsaved. And that is essentially the same thing Paul meant here in Eph.5. Having no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God is a way of emphasizing that point. Paul tends to use the title kingdom of God to refer to the future kingdom in heaven, and the kingdom of Christ to refer to our present life under his lordship. So, phrasing it the way he has here, a person who is characterized by these patterns of behavior has no standing before God in either the present or the future. They are unsaved. That is solemn warning!

Conclusion

So, what is it that works against all these sins of the flesh? What is it that nurtures the new self and opposes the old? What is it that begins to move us away from immorality in pursuit of purity? It is thankfulness—thanksgiving—gratitude to God. 

But what is it that makes thanksgiving so powerful, so effective? Let me suggest three lessons regarding thanksgiving that may help answer that question. 

1. Thanksgiving requires a proper concept of God. He is gracious, He is not obligated. Everything we’ve received from him is given voluntarily, so to speak. He didn’t have to give it. He didn’t need to give it. He didn’t have to Send Christ  or provide salvation or send the Spirit, or spiritual gifts. He didn’t have to provide for our needs or reveal His standard or convict us of sin. When we realize this, thanksgiving is the result.

2. Thanksgiving requires a proper concept of self. We are poor and needy. Apart from Him we can do nothing. We deserve nothing from Him. When we realize this, thanksgiving is the result.

3. Thanksgiving requires a proper concept of things. We’re not entitled to the things we have. We can go to a grocery store that is full from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, with good and feel personally offended if we they aren’t carrying our brand of breath mints. We’re not entitled to anything. We’ve simply become used to being able to have it whenever we want it. 

I once spoke with an African national from the country of, I believe, Ghana. We were discussing prayer and he said to me, “Americans are so wealthy they don’t even need faith.” That was a startling statement which immediate raised my hackles just a bit because I’ve heard it so often. But he went on to explain that our stores are full and our bank accounts sufficient. Our churches are equipped and our children are well-fed. The only things we can’t control are illness and accidents; so that’s primarily all we pray for—health needs and safety in travel. I was silenced. And I was ashamed. That is indeed most of what we pray for. He went on to state that what amazed him most was that we’re not even all that grateful for all we have, all that has made faith virtually unnecessary for u. Until you’ve gone hungry so that your children won’t starve, can you truly be grateful for food? Until you’ve gone naked so a brother can be covered, can you truly be grateful for clothes? “I lamented that I had not shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”

Thanksgiving may well be our most productive resource in pursuit of purity.